Tessa has been brought to London by tragic circumstances. Determined to start anew with her brother, she is instead captured and held in a world she had no idea existed. Forced into practice sessions, she develops powers unlike anything seen before, even in the Downworld-- a community filled with magical creatures. Even when Tessa is rescued she cannot escape the Downworld. The Shadowhunters need Tessa's magic to solve a clockwork mystery that threatens even the mortal world. Vampires, warlocks, and demons scare Tessa, but not as much as the fact that she may be one of them.
My review:
This was not what I expected. It was written very differently than The Mortal Instruments, which I liked. However, the story was lacking something. Depth? I have no idea. All I know was that I was left wanting.
I enjoyed the setting a lot, I love Steampunk and London settings, as well as Era novels.
I also liked the characters, for the most part. I think Tessa was brave, smart, and witty. I also think she was underwritten. All we know about Tessa was that she likes reading, is a girl, and has a brother. And she hates chocolate. There was not enough of her voice in the story.
I also liked Jem. He's hot, strong, funny, and very very wise. He plays the violin, has an exotic background, and a tragic past. Most of the time, broody serious guys hold no appeal for me, but Jem is a positive force in this otherwise bleak situation for Tessa. He always helps her, and never hurts her. There isn't a selfish bone in his body.
Then there's Will. And that makes me sad, because I know I'm supposed to like him. He's supposed to be a troubled boy who takes life too lightly and jokes too much simply because his insidey parts are sad. But I call BS. He's a jerk to Tessa, hot and cold, and does a horrible job of being mysterious. He isn't a horrible person, but he thinks he is. Boo hoo. Another Edward complex. Sorry, but he needs to get over what happened when he was twelve and stop being a little pansy girl.
Team Jem.
Henry and Charlotte are soooo awesome! Henry is probably my favorite character. I wish he would have been in the story more often! Jessamine was hard to read, but I have a feeling I will end up liking her a lot.
The plot moved quickly, and maybe that was what was missing. There was so much happening it felt like only a day had passed since the beginning. It didn't feel natural. Tessa got sucked right in, and stayed there. However, the book was never boring.
Because I knew about the Downworld already, it didn't feel like an introduction to a new world. It felt like the same story with different characters. Tessa did not hesitate to learn everything about the Shadowhunters, so she already knew a lot about them. I didn't feel like I was learning along with her. I was looking forward to a new look on this world, but it ended up feeling like a rewrite where the names were changed (and it's easy to see what Jace's name would be), and women wore dresses.
I know it seems like I just tore this book apart, and I suppose I did. But there were things that I liked, like the writing, Tessa, and the fact that it took place in that time/place. It redeemed the book a lot. This was not a bad or boring read. I just did not get addicted to the story like I had expected to.
If you have not read the book, please don't let the bad deter you. I am glad I read it, and I will keep reading the series! A lot of readers loved this book!
3/5
Shay-la
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